Nanospeed 3i irons

Replacing hard-to-hit long irons with versatile and forgiving hybrids has been preferred as one of the best ways to improve your scores. However, the hybrid is not to everyone's taste and many golfers still prefer the longer iron option.

Perhaps it's the the look, the flight, the feel off the face or simply the consistency that comes from learning how to hit every iron in the bag through to sand wedge.

But what if, despite a desire to hit the long irons, you still find it a struggle? Yonex is claiming its new 2010 Nanospeed 3i irons might be the answer.

The Yonex Nanospeed 3i irons feature three different types of head - perhaps the ultimate progressive iron - with the clubs changing in shape and size from 4-iron to sand wedge.

Most significant of the three head shapes is surely the long irons (4- & 5-iron), which have the sole of a hybrid and the face of an iron. The blending of the two styles might sound unusual and at first glance it does look strange, but if you struggle to hit a 4-iron off the deck you're not going to be worried that it doesn't look too pretty. Indeed, the very fact that it doesn't look like a fearsome little blade might just help instil some confidence.

It looks a little unusual at address but knowing there's more weight low down helps settle any nerves. As ever, though, it's all about performance, and if this wacky design works, who cares what it looks like? And it does work - easy to get the ball airborne, and being more iron that hybrid, doesn't feel any different to the rest of the set. If you're a player who likes consistency, this is undoubtedly a good thing.

Ball flight is high and distance excellent. The elastomer tip in the graphite shaft also helps here, meaning that the all-too-common trait of the mid-handicapper - trying to smash the casing off the ball with a long iron - should be a thing of the past. If you do find the thought of such a club a little too unusual, a more conventional cavity back 4 and 5-iron is available.

Further down the set, the mid-irons might look like conventional cavity backs, but they too are packed with technology designed to optimise performance. At just 3mm, the stainless steel face is impossibly thin, but when it comes to face thickness less is definitely more.

And while the face delivers more power, accuracy has not been compromised, thanks to a carbon composite back and added weight in the toe and heel. This takes the MOI (resistance to twisting) to new heights and gives a great feeling of stability at impact. With fairly long faces, these irons are really forgiving and give plenty of room for manoeuvre if you're not hitting the middle of the club every time.

The sand wedge and gap wedge are smaller and feature a half-cavity blade. They are compact, precise and offer plenty of scope for short-game creativity. Unlike some game-improvement sets where the wedges are cumbersome and unwieldy - like a 7-iron but with more loft - these are precision tools and that is a welcome change. With a low centre of gravity throughout the set (just 19mm) every club feels as easy to hit as a wedge.

Not only do the Nanospeed 3i irons perform well, they look good too. The striking red and black shafts and grip complement each other really well, while on the clubhead, the graphite coupled with the highly polished finish really makes them stand out. It's a strong all-round package from Yonex and one that should be given serious consideration by the club player

Summary

Packed with technology and easy on the eye, the Nanospeed 3i irons should appeal to the mid to high handicapper in search of a set that offers help where it's needed throughout the set